WASHINGTON — Pentagon officials on Monday denied that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s admittance to the hospital last week has had any impact on US military operations in the Middle East, after top department officials failed, for more than three days, to notify the White House and members of Congress of the defense chief’s hospitalization.
“At no time was there a gap” in the chain of command, Pentagon press secretary US Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told members of the press. “At no time was national security in jeopardy. There was positive control the entire time,” Ryder added.
How it happened: The Pentagon has gone into damage-control mode after belatedly revealing on the evening of Friday, Jan. 5 that Austin had been admitted to the intensive care unit at Walter Reed Medical Center on Jan. 1 after reporting severe pain following an undisclosed medical procedure on Dec. 22.
But the defense secretary’s office did not notify top White House officials until Jan. 4, a full three days after he had been transported from his home by ambulance to Walter Reed.
